How Texas Won My Residency - A Goat Story

Me & my bro sometime in the 80s.

 It is impossible to remember when I started liking goats, but a thorough photo search this morning found my earliest goat photo at about age 6 or so... I don't remember if this is the same goat encounter in which I was subsequently head butted by a goat, resulting in several shed tears. But none the less, here I am, more than 20 years later: the proud care taker of three beautiful pygmy goats!

It had been well ingrained in me by my parents that if you put your intentions out into the universe, your needs will be met at the appropriate time. My love for goats has been strong these last few years, and as anyone who knows me can tell you, I let anyone who would listen know that it was my goal to be a goat mamma. 

That was a fact. What was undetermined was the when, and the where. I had been sitting on the fence between Texas and Alaska this summer, ready to plunge over into one state or the other. My physical body was in Texas, but of course my heart and drivers license registration was all Alaska. 

Then I found them. On Craigslist, of all places. 

Mamma Bluebell, Liberty (on left), and Justice.

I got the email from Whiskey Creek Ranch the end of July, "two kids just born, girls, you still interested?" The next week was a blur with erecting the goat shed and pen; probably the most beautiful goat pen you've ever seen!! 

The goats, two baby girls and their mamma, came home with us one weekend early August, and the next several days were spent staring at them in wonderment. 

Check. Mark that dream off my list. Goal = obtained. 

The next week or two I endured the DMV line to get my Texas driver's license and I registered to vote. My parents were less than thrilled about my final decision to root in Texas for now, but the trauma was blunted by their satisfaction that my vote could help in the state of Texas make some better decisions. 

I hope the goats are happy here. I enjoy our time together; the babies prance about and play 'queen of the rock pile' with each other. Mamma likes her food but keeps her distance from me. It is relaxing to sit in the pen and just watch. Occasionally the girls will come up to me for some sniffs and some scratches.

The girls nibblin' on alfalfa.

"Goats will eat anything." Lie. Whoever said that hasn't met my goats. 

It is now October and the ranch recently experienced a chicken death by an unknown predator. The drought has been hard on the wild animals and word is that they are moving in closer to people to find their grub. The new hurdle is finding a guard animal to watch after the goats 24/7. Although, I suspect mamma goat would be a fierce opponent against wild animals if provoked...

Next year's goal will be to breed the young ones, bottle feed the kids, and set up a milking routine so that I may experiment with cheese making!! Will start putting my intentions in that direction...

Texas, you won this round.